The invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coleus plant named ‘UF16-88-9’. ‘UF16-88-9’ originated from an open-pollination conducted in May-November 2015 in Gainesville, Fla. between the female Coleus plant ‘UF15-76-1’ (unpatented) and an unknown male Coleus plant. A single seedling was chosen in May 2016 for further asexual propagation in Gainesville, Fla.
‘UF16-88-9’ has been reproduced asexually for over 18 months through vegetative cuttings and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations. ‘UF16-88-9’ was first propagated asexually by meristem tip cuttings in May 2016 in Gainesville, Fla., and has remained true-to-type since that time.
‘UF16-88-9’ has maroon lance-shaped leaves with deep pink centers that are much longer than they are wide; whereas, ‘UF15-76-1,’ the female parent, has lance-shaped leaves that are colored deep maroon with green accents. ‘UF16-88-9’ has an extremely vigorous well-branched mounded habit; whereas ‘UF15-76-1’ is vigorous, but more upright in habit with less lateral branching.
‘UF16-88-9’ has similar maroon and pink foliage color to the commercial variety Velveteen® (‘UF13-6-11,’ unpatented), but ‘UF16-88-9’ is not as upright and rangy in habit. ‘UF16-88-9’ has lance-shaped leaves and mounded habit similar to the commercial varieties ‘UF12-82-3’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,288) and ‘UF12-73-5’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,499); however, ‘UF12-82-3’ and ‘UF12-73-5’ do not have the maroon and pink foliage color of ‘UF-16-88-9.’